Hi

Don't really know how true this is but its not good news if its right. Shaheen Air Int'l are to suspend its UK-Pakistan route which operates between Leeds/Bradford and Islamabad as of June 1st 2008.

Thought the route was doing well! Guess it isn't then, either that or they have no aircraft available to do the route given the Pakistani requirement to put the A310s onto their own register within a certain timescale.

Just checked their website and it shows flights in July 3 times weekly if thats any indication.

is it owt to do with the fact that the aircraft are leased (Turkish registered) and they haven't managed to get them on to PK registrations?

TC-SGB has just gone on lease to Air Algerie. I guess they must be having difficulty securing an appropriate aircraft to operate the route. Loadings have been brilliant by all accounts, so it can't be down to that. The price of crude oil may also be a major factor.

Air Algerie will get to use it form June or immediately?

Seems a shame if the loads are infact brilliant! They were supposed to be going daily when the 2nd aircraft arrived. Perhahps they could source some 767-200ER's more easily, if indeed it has the performance to do the trip direct with a decent payload. If not maybe PIA may wake up to the fact that there is a market at this side of the pennines before someone else starts and dilutes their loads ex MAN. Do PIA still have any A310's?

Why not get Jet2 to provide a 757 on a wet lease? More seats available (235 v. 210) Good practice for long haul routes without the commercial risk :cool:

i believe they will be only operating once a week until june also

PIA still have A310 as they operate that on Glasgow - Faisalabad and Lahore

The PIA machines are Pakistani registered though, so that is completely different.

Which means PIA could do the LBA flight for Shaheen until they source a replacement ac then!:}

Confirmed now on LBA website under 'announcements'.

Just when the flights seemed to be a success,this happens.Think it will put a lot of people off flying Shaheen from LBA,if and when the flights resume.

Think people would rather book with PIA or Air Blue from MAN,which seem to be established now.

Oh well,good while it lasted.Never did get to see the A310 at LBA!

A Shaheen pilot has also conirmed suspension, heres a photo of NL A310 at LBA http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=79842

90 day rule
 

The SAGA A310 operated flights into BHX for some time when the PIA 747 and A310 were not allowed into Europe. Was that over 90 days or did it just seem like it.

Centre cities

Were these the same aircraft Mahan Air had on wetlease from Saga?

I remeber the PK flights with the silhoeuttes of the Mahan Livery,

Interesting that they sneaked it in under 'Announcements' not 'News'. Why not just have 'Good News' and 'Bad News'?

I don't think it will affect the demand, as long as they actually come back and don't just clear off to LTN....

The A310 was used by PIA and Mahan.

Shaheen ceases operation
 

I was told by my Pakistani pal yesterday that Shaheen have pulled up the drawbridge. They are refunding fares already paid for apparently.